Crunch: The Blackpage
Writing Exercise #10
Here is a Crunch-sized look at another, non-sci fi world that has been living in my brain. I don’t really know how to set this up with a prompt, but I’ll give it a whirl.
If you have ideas for Prompts, Crunches, Sprints, Relays, or other writing exercises in the future, please leave them in the comments! If you would like to write your own take for this exercise, please comment with a link so that I can see what you wrote and support your work, maybe even share your version with my subscribers. Please let me know if you have any thoughts, comments, or constructive criticisms as well!
Enjoy!
Crunch: Write about a chance encounter with Byron the Blackpage
“Hail, stranger?” I venture. “Do you need assistance with your camp?”
The stranger looked at me, and his eyes were glowing like embers. In the moonlight I could see he had black streaks across his face, he looked like he had been badly burned. “Help yourself.” He growled.
I started at his gaze but pressed forward at his invitation. I tied my horse to a branch and set about tending the kindling. “My friend, you look as if you have been burned. I have ointment…”
“I have no need of ointment.” He said.
“Who are you?” I asked, while I started the fire.
The stranger stared at me. “I am Byron, called Blackpage. I am an Author of the Order of Harrion.”
“The Blackpage! I always took you for legend. What are you doing so far from your order?”
“I have been expelled. The worlds I write are…tainted. Some horror haunts every world I have ever written. My brothers tried to burn one of my worlds while I was inside—to destroy both the horror and me in one stroke. Have you ever seen reality burn? I have emerged from a book into a fire, while the horror hunts me. It always hunts me…” the stranger trailed off. After a moment, he grabs my collar and shouts: “WHAT WORLD IS THIS?” he asks. “IS IT HERE?”
“This is Daranna, my friend, a land of Terra.”
The Blackpage relaxed. “I am safe. For now.”
We sat around the fire in silence.
(250 words)
The Promptee Has Become The Promptor
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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy! Come back next week for another writing exercise!
God bless!
Most interesting to me was that Byron is part of an order and that he somehow is able to write worlds. I also found it interesting how he immediately relaxed when he learned where he was. That leaves me with questions I want answered.
This has great potential for a big fantasy story! I would definitely read more.
It's interesting. I read it three times to get the full visual of it. I can picture the two of them having the conversation while the one built the fire. I don't have a full understanding though of "The worlds I write are... Tainted". I'm not sure what you mean by that. But I enjoyed it.